New Bonds
by SuperMegaFoxyAwesomeHot
Summary: Sequel to Bonding, in which Josie says her first word and Blaine has an idea for what she should call him.


**Got asked for a sequel, hopefully this doesn't disappoint!**

* * *

Kurt and Blaine were just sitting around Kurt's apartment and watching Josie play with her toys (a process that mostly involved Josie bashing her doll's head with a building block) when it happened.

"Dada!" Josie said, crawling over to Kurt's legs and grabbing at his pants. "Dada!"

"Holy shit," Kurt said, clapping a hand over his mouth for a moment when he realized he didn't want that being Josie's _second_ word. He bent down and placed her on his lap, cuddling her close when she started nuzzling into his torso. "Blaine!"

"Was that her first word?" Blaine replied, looking at Kurt excitedly.

"Yes!" Kurt said, nearly shrieking. "And it was my _name,_ oh my God."

"Of course it was," Blaine said, scoffing lightly. "How could it be anything else when she has you as a father?"

"I dunno, she does love Big Bird a lot," Kurt said, unable to keep from blushing at Blaine's words. "There could've been some competition."

"Dada," Josie interjected.

"See? No competition at all," Blaine said, smiling down at Josie before babytalking, "What a smart girl you are, Jo."

"Da?" Josie asked, reaching out for Blaine, who took her happily and started bouncing her on his knees.

"Uh - no, Josie," Kurt said, feeling awkward all of a sudden. "That's Blaine, sweetie. Can you say Blaine?"

"Da," Josie repeated grumpily. "Da!"

"We'll work on it," Blaine said, looking at Kurt sheepishly. "One word today is already plenty, right?"

"Mmhm," Kurt said absently, a little disgruntled as he considered what to have Josie call Blaine. His name was perfectly fine, of course - it wasn't an _ugly_ name or anything - but, well….

He wanted Blaine to be _Papa._ He wasn't sure if Blaine wanted to be her papa or not, but lately Kurt had been susceptible to daydreams of the three of them as a family - comforting Josie after nightmares, taking her to her first day of school, receiving Father's Day presents addressed to "the World's Best Dads" in a childish scrawl. In his dreams, Blaine was always content and cheerful, but who knew if he felt the same in real life?

"Kurt. Babe. You in there?" Blaine's voice finally broke into Kurt's hazy thoughts. "Hey there, space cadet."

"Sorry, just got caught up in the moment," Kurt replied, blushing a little and hoping his poker face was good.

"I get it," Blaine said gently, and Kurt felt his own shoulders relax infinitesimally. "It's a big deal!"

"Ou- my little girl is growing up," Kurt said, a couple of tears welling up in his eyes. "First comes talking, then comes motorcycles and teenage rebellion. I'm losing her already."

"I think there are a couple other developmental steps between talking and tattoos, honey," Blaine said, chuckling. His laughter made Josie giggle, too. "You're safe for a while yet."

"Oh my God, _tattoos_ ," Kurt said, panic-stricken. "I know I have one, but that was a drunken mistake! It turned out for the best, yeah, but she might not be so lucky!"

"And here I was hoping to calm you down," Blaine said, placing Josie back on Kurt's lap so he could wrap an arm around his shoulders. "Kurt, she's only eleven months old. She's not getting a tattoo any time soon."

"Sorry, _God_ , sorry. I'm all over the place tonight," Kurt said, shaking his head a little.

"How about we turn on some fine educational programming and order in?" Blaine said, rubbing his hand down Kurt's back soothingly. "It can be a little celebration in honor of Josie."

"Sounds perfect," Kurt replied, smiling over at Blaine.

"Just trying to give you a reason to keep me around," Blaine said, smiling back.

"I can think of a few," Kurt said, trying not to blurt out his numbered, cross-referenced mental list as proof.

 _I only hope you want to keep_ me _around just as much_ , he thought, bouncing Josie to distract himself.

The kick in the chest she gave him as she tried to get off his lap was an even better diversion, though a bit less pleasant.

* * *

Kurt shivered as he waited for Blaine to buzz him in the next evening. They hadn't had plans, but Blaine had called that morning asking if they could have an impromptu dinner that night without Josie, which left Kurt wondering.

"Hey, baby," Blaine said when he answered the door, a towel flung over one shoulder. "Glad you could make it."

"Well, you know my social calendar is packed," Kurt teased, following Blaine in. "Oh my God."

He stopped between the living area and the kitchen, taking in the candlelit table Blaine had set up and covered in fancy china and serving dishes. There was even a bouquet of violets for a centerpiece, setting off Blaine's purple napkins perfectly.

"I wanted tonight to be special," Blaine said, eyes full of an emotion Kurt was too stunned to identify properly. He wiped his hands on the towel before draping it carefully over the oven handle and walking back to Kurt to take his hands.

"Why?" Kurt mouthed, suddenly too nervous to speak.

"Because - Because I realized something a couple weeks ago, Kurt, and last night only confirmed it for me," Blaine said, looking just as antsy as Kurt felt. He was looking directly into Kurt's eyes, and Kurt couldn't tell if he felt like he was drowning or if he was finally breathing properly for the first time in his life. "You told Josie she could call me Blaine, but I don't want that. I want to be her papa. I want you and me being woken up early on the weekends by a hyperactive toddler. I want to be there for her graduations, cheering and stomping and clapping. I want to take her to college and cry the whole way home."

Kurt couldn't hold back tears at that point, feeling his eyes go wide with wonder.

"But I also want _you_ , Kurt. I want to pester one of our friends into taking Josie so we can have date nights or private time. I want to kiss you goodbye every morning when we leave for work. I want to hold you or be held by you every night in bed. I want the two of us _and_ the three of us, so Kurt Hummel, will you please, _please_ marry me?"

"Yeah. _Yes_ ," Kurt said, barely audible but nodding fervently. "Of course, Blaine."

Blaine surged forward and kissed Kurt at that, and Kurt could feel tears on both of their faces.

"Thank you," Blaine whispered once they broke apart. "I thought you might not want to focus on Josie-"

"I thought you might not want to be a long-term part of her life," Kurt interrupted.

"So we're both wrong," Blaine said, hiccuping out a laugh. "I've never been happier to be mistaken."

"Me neither," Kurt said, joining in Blaine's giggles. He pulled Blaine close and just stood there hugging him for a while, content to never let go.

At least until the smoke alarm started blaring.


End file.
